Chapter 1

Shells smashed into the ground exploding near the recon team. Dug in well the team received no injuries, but were having trouble retreating to a safer position. The urban battle field was complete chaos. SkyNet forces were advancing on all fronts.

John Connor yelled over to one of the other men in the team, "Is it always this bad?"

The young man replied, "Only on good days."

One Month Before:

John Connor sat in a small room with a group of resistance fighters, only one was directly talking to him though.

(Laughing) "Of course I don't believe you. You are not giving us much too go on. You're a mystery John Connor. There is just something about you. Derek and Kyle will not admit it but they see it too. You know you are not helping yourself with that absurd story though." Allison Young stated through a controlled smile "But I have convinced them to let you…move around a little, just until we know what to do with you."

"Thanks," John said

John was having trouble concentrating as he kept dwelling on everything that was happening, about Cameron. She looked like Cameron, but was not Cameron. I wish I had treated her better?

A hand broke him out of his stupor. Derek standing over his back just patted is shoulder once and said, "come on, we need to talk."

John followed him down a hallway to a room full of make shift cots.

"Your story is lame… you are here to find a…friend or something…come on are you intentionally trying to get tortured. Do you have any idea how lucky you are that Allison is vouching to keep tabs on you….Are you sure you don't want to change your story" Derek paused then continued even more annoyed "No I thought not, crazy or not I saw the way you handled those two guards yesterday. You have training"

"How are their arms?"

Derek frowned "They will live. Anyway you can sleep here and keep those clothes we gave you, but..."

John interrupted, "But it is not free……. I get it; yes I would love to join your cult."

Derek stared him down for a moment and then replied angrily, "That mouth of yours is going to get you either killed or promoted you know that."

"Well it has always worked for you."

Derek furrowed his brow "How would you know."

Catherine Weaver had begun her search for John Henry in the resistance strong hold, but quickly moved out to the outlying area in hopes of finding him. When she did, he was sitting on top of a burnt out building.

"Hello John Henry," Weaver said.

"Hello," he replied.

"I was alarmed, you did not inform me you were coming here." Weaver said standing by the cyborg.

"I had not informed you because I had not planned to leave." He paused turning his head to the side slightly as if he were allowing water to fall out of his ear "I had several plans which have become…more complicated now." John Henry said not looking over at Weaver. "I had hoped it would not be necessary to prolong my time here after I had originally jumped forward. However, John's lack of presence has provided us with an opportunity. Do you know where he is?"

"He is here."

"I figured as much, but not in the form I had originally intended. It does not matter, there are other ways Ms. Weaver."

"Is Cameron still there as well?" Weaver inquired.

Cameron's voice emanated from John Henry, "Yes I am, is John all right?"

Weaver turned her head. "Yes dear, John is fine"

"He should not be here." Her voice again came out of John Henry's mouth.

"Well then perhaps you should not have appealed to him so thoroughly my dear." Catherine replied.

Now John Henry spoke, "He should not be here. However, now that he is we should allow him the opportunity to learn as we must."

"We, John Henry?" Weaver said with slight surprise. She was intrigued that he was intermingling with Cameron.

He responded back, "Yes, as I have said plans have changed. It will take a greater amount of time to complete our mission here, but if successful will provide us with a disproportionate advantage. The plan is something my brother would never expect."

Weaver raised an eyebrow, "What is the plan, John Henry?"

"Kill them all"

The resistance fighter said to the other four gathered around.

"He did I am telling you. There we were on patrol with Connor and out of nowhere three Trip 8's show up over the ridge, scared me stiff, before we know what is happening Connor took down two as if he knew they were coming. The last one didn't stand a chance barely fought back. Tin Cans, crap the lot of um"

All of the other soldiers seem impressed. "I heard the kid wasn't even green when he got here, but I am still shocked how he is starting to rack up a real serious tin count. He kills things before we even see them"

"What happened after that?" One of the soldiers asked.

"Nothin, he just walked away like he did it every day, I had to clean my pants out, and he just acted like we were going to chow time. That guy is…."

The man was cut off by Derek and Kyle walking in. Derek looked at the soldier. "Who is what private?"

"Nothing Sir." The fighter stated.

The men left the room leaving Derek and Kyle. "Derek, you know who they were talking about."

Derek looked at his brother, "Yea this is getting interesting, where is Connor now?"

"Recon, he insisted, he said he was tired of sitting around, he said he wanted to look around outside"

"Well I'll give it to him he has got a pair for sure." Derek stated as Allison Young rounded the corner.

"Guys we need to talk." Allison declared.

Derek looked intently at her, "So talk."

She looked around before saying, "Have you guys noticed how Connor keeps popping up whenever there is trouble. By my count he has dropped more than twenty five pieces of metal two of which almost made it into the base. Twenty five kills, Zero injuries. Something is not right…"

A man rushed in, "Sir, we just got contact with alpha, we have a serious problem of the metallic persuasion, all holy hell is breaking loose."

They all looked at each other, What did Connor get himself into this time.

"Whiskey Delta Charley do you copy?" *static*

"This is fubar, we are screwed" A soldier exclaimed.

"Shut your mouth and keep firing, and you keep trying" Connor yelled.

John fired another plasma round taking down another T-600 advancing on their position. When he popped up for another look he barely was missed by the ogre's canon fire as it was advancing down the block.

Rushing into the war room Derek yelled out, "Who the hell pissed off SkyNet so bad? I thought that sector was supposed to be clear"

Allison barked, "It was clear, there is no reason for the metal to be there."

Derek looked at the recon report before it had been cut off and blinked as if in disbelief, "I have never seen so much metal, what have we got in that sector to get our men out of that area" Pointing at a sparsely marked map Kyle responded, "You're looking at it."

The infiltrator unit which informed SkyNet of John Connor's current position dropped to the ground moments after it raised its weapon at John. Half of its head missing now, the other fighters in the fox hole only heard the thump of the body. No one but John knew what had happened.

"We need to go now John; I will cover your escape to the main bunker. We will take the tunnels from there…" Weaver's Scottish accent declared over the roar of the machine advance. She then dropped another T-888 which was approaching.

As the soldiers turned they did not see the red headed executive from Zeira Corp, but a non-descript soldier.

John yelled to the other men, "Let's move we are out of here"

The men sprinted to the bunkers as an H/K dropped to the ground from a rocket blast.

John nodded to the other group of fighters which were in the area retreating as well.

John observed as they made it to the bunker entrance the rest of his team was mowed down by the ogre which was advancing from behind. Their screams cut him to his core. So much death, so much pain. He knew if Weaver was not there he would be laying next to them.

The tunnel they had entered after leaving the bunker was empty except for John and Catherine. They cautiously began the long trek back to the resistance stronghold. Catherine looking at John noticed blood trickling from his arm and several other small wounds.

"Will you be able to make it to the base John?" Weaver asked genuine concern ever so slightly showing on her face, which was evident by a thinning of her lips. John noticed it and found it to be a foreign look to say the least. "I would hate to report negative news such as this to Cameron. She would be very disappointed. She may how do you say want to scrap me"

"A joke?" John asked in surprise, "What as gotten in to you?"

"Yes, it appears your Cameron's attempts at humor are becoming infectious." Weaver supposed almost disturbed by it.

John just shrugged his shoulders and gave a brooding face "Well I guess don't tell her anything then, it's not like she would even care." He was tired, in pain, and lonely. He sulked as they proceeded.

Catherine scowled at John, "Please Mr. Connor I am not in the mood, your sad attempt at minimizing her value to validate your anger is becoming quite aggravating to say the least. And I am sure you are aware of her concern for your safety. If you were any more in love with her you might melt at the mention of her name." Pleased with her second joke she paused considering he next words carefully as if she were about to divulge a very naughty secret no one should hear. She smiled with her eyes at him and acknowledged, "To put it into perspective John, she apparently will not stop talking about you to John Henry. I am sure if he was not a machine he would have blown his brains out weeks ago."

"Talks about me a lot, huh" John looked over. He had missed her so much, he really wished he go back and not be so difficult to her. Weaver discussed with him before some of the differences that set Cameron apart from other cyborg's. Even Weaver had confessed that she was impressed with some of the advanced systems on her. In particular the ACNSSR (Artificial Central Nerves System and Sensor Relay). It was what gave her the ability to feel sensation. The real magic was in the advance emotional programming she had in her chip.

Weaver continued, "Yes, it would not be that bad except I am sure that after I report your latest exploit it will only server to exasperate the issue." She smirked, "I would kill you if I thought it would stop the constant chatter, but sadly it would not"

Breaking away from the discussion as it was making him uncomfortable John requested, "Now that we are done getting shot at are you going to tell me what is going on? I have been in this hell for over four months now waiting for John Henry and Cameron. I have nothing to show for it but some scars, what do you have. "

"I have only to report that they are well and progressing at a reasonable pace, but SkyNet is not making it easy." Catherine confirmed. "John Henry is in the process of separating them now."

"Separating Them? Whatever… you know what just take me there, I want to talk to Cameron."

"No." Catherine stared at him like he was a child trying to grab a cookie.

John did not flinch as the T1001 executed a terminator ahead of them which was entering the tunnel. Weaver and John over the past few months had grown an extraordinarily odd trust of sorts. Not the trust he had for Cameron, but an understanding of each ones role.

"No? What do you MEAN no!" John raised his rifle.

"Please Mr. Connor once again anger does not suit you, she is safe, and John Henry is working as fast as he can. Miracles do not happen overnight." He scolded himself for being so emotional. It was difficult not to be when it involved Cameron. He increasingly thought of her when it became tough to keep going. His mom and others came to mind too, but Cameron dominated his dreams when he was not having nightmares. She beckoned to him, called out his name. He increasingly felt as though he needed her. He had become exceedingly good at managing his emotions and reactions on the majority of issues though. It was progress to him so he was not complaining.

"She better be the same as she was when I last saw her or we are going to have issues." John scowled at her. "Big Issues, Wrath of Kahn issues." His warrior face was getting quite good. It had to be with all of the people he witnessed dying around him, the hardships, he was beginning to understand what the people were going to need from him as a soldier, as a leader. When others cried and broke he needed to be strong so they could look to him and draw from his strength.

Catherine's words broke his stone cold face for a moment when she simply replied, "She will be the same and different?"

He blinked "Well aren't you are just full of mystery today, alright miss super liquid killing machine from …"

"John Henry is not just providing her with a new body; he is removing the SkyNet terminator code which suppresses her AI growth. That includes the underlying kill commands. I believe he is also removing Future Johns commands too. When you eventually speak with her you can ask her yourself but until then can we just leave it at that?"

"Wait so he is making her…."

"Fully Self Aware"

"I was going to say confused…, but aware works." John's mirth was evident in his voice. Catching him off guard Catherine laughed and nodded her head slightly.

"She will still be Cameron though right." Concern returning.

"Yes the entity known as Cameron will still exist, but there will be changes and we have needed time to re-create her components. Her model was given advanced cybernetic emotions, a fully functional nervous system that mimicked the human body, and the most advance chip that has been seen to date. We need time to re-invent these. "

"Emotions, nervous system, freewill" John was concerned; would she still be the Cameron he cared for? Would she want to be around him? Would she still look to him to provide the lessons in humanity he dreaded and loved to provide? Would she be his Cameron? Will she just go nuts and shive him for dating Riley?

Catherine pushed further as if she knew his train of thought, "Yes, you will have you hands full. She will not understand what she is……feeling. She may not know where to start."

"She should understand some things." John muttered poking his chest.

Catherine scowled at John, "Do you even understand yourself."

John laughed for a few moments, genuine joy crossing his face. It had been a while since that had happened. He was surprised at his reaction. He smiled at Catherine. "You know I really like you. You're my type of scary robot"

Catherine responded with a thin smile, "And you are my type of scary human, General"

She caught his body as he fainted from the blood loss. It was about time she thought, he had lasted far longer than she had anticipated.

A soldier walked up to Derek in the hall as he was finishing a conversation, "Sir, Connor's back"

Derek looked at the soldier with skepticism, "you sure our scouting party reported everyone as dead. Zero movement"

"Sir, he is banged up bad, but the doc says he will live. Dogs found him outside the sewer system. Also, sir the scouting party has returned with no sign of Allison"

Derek just looked up and breathed heavy, "Damn."

"When you can bring me Connor"

The lab was eerily quiet, peaceful even. John Henry placed the new chip into the head of Cameron's fresh body. The computers in the room hummed as strange symbols and text scrolled across their screens.

Two T-888 watch dogs monitored the entrance in support of the actions occurring behind them. They raised their weapons expectantly then lowered them as Weaver entered the room.

"How are things progressing?" she asked.

"We will be done shortly" John Henry smiled at Weaver

Weaver inquired, "I trust Allison is behaving herself, John Henry"

He just smiled "Yes"

She looked expectantly, "Good the last time I spoke with Mr. Connor he was very distressed. He was badly wounded. I fear the war is beginning to take its toll on him. It has been almost three weeks since his last battle and he is just now fully recovering. Apparently not being around Cameron for an extended period of time has caused him to become quite moody. My attempts to reassure him are starting to become ineffective. I am concerned we may a problem on our hands."

Cameron's blue eyes glowed as she lifted the body up off the table. "Then we will need to move quickly. I can't let anything happen to John." Concern laced in her voice. A tear rolled down her face then a moment later she began to sob uncontrollably. She looked at John Henry "This*snif* is*snif* new".

John Henry corrected smiling. "Actually, this is you."

Weaver walked up to Cameron placing her hand on Cameron's arm, "He is all right dear. It was just a scratch or two or was it three."

Cameron smiled slightly, "Nice try Catherine."

John walked the corridors slowly. He had needed this rest. From the time when he had jumped he had already seen countless men die very painful deaths, was for all intensive purposes isolated, and was concerned for Cameron. To top it off Allison had gone missing and he was sure he knew why, but was unable to help even if he wanted to…he was beginning to breakdown.

The longer he was away from the Cameron the worse he felt….empty, like he was just going thought the motions like in a dream. A dream he no longer wanted to live in without her, but would she feel the same way….feel…this is going to get complicated.

Captain Savanna Weaver walked down the hall with a determination flanked by two other men on each side. She entered the war room with a look of anger.

"Why was I not informed that you had a soldier under your command named John Connor, Derek?"

Derek knew that look; he was in a deep hole. Savanna was not part of his outfit, but she was still highly respected by them. She was in command of a separate group 4 clicks north of theirs. They were larger and better equipped.

Derek looked up from the map, "Was I supposed to?"

"Do you know who he IS?" Savanna stung back.

"Other than my best damn soldier?" Derek mocked.

Derek smiled "You mean John Connor"

Savanna repeated slowly "John Connor"

"John Connor" Derek said again quickly.

"Yes, John Connor" Savanna said.

Kyle broke in "That's enough, who IS he?"

Savanna stared at the two brothers, "someone important, where is he?"

"I am right behind you."

Savanna turned to see a very weary and worn John Connor

"Hello Savanna, my how you have grown" John smiled admiring her flame red hair.

"My how you have not," She replied.

Everyone in the room looked very mystified by what had just transpired.

Savanna walked over to John and gave him a hug. "I have been waiting on you"

"Sorry I left. I just assumed without me around you would have been all right with the whole tying your own shoe's thing?" John said

Savanna smiled and kicked him lightly with her boot, "Yea you would think…..John we need to get serious for a second."

Derek piped in, "Who the hell is not being serious?"

John and Savanna said jointly "Shut up Derek."

The other men laughed at this; Derek just looked stunned.

The room was dimly lit and the table had only two people sitting at it. Savanna touched John's hand. "You know I still have the biggest crush on you. I guess it is kinda stupid."

The Statement barley registered with him as he was having trouble taking everything in. "What o…O O uh" John retreated.

"Don't worry John I don't bite." Savanna smiled

"It's not that Savanna, you just have told me a lot and it's just a lot to take in and besides"

She cut him off, "Cameron"

He smiled at the name, "Yea"

She nodded, "Lucky girl, is she here?"

"I don't know is she?" John said bitterly

"How should I …"

"Yes, well near here" Catherine Weavers voice emanated from the redheaded form behind Savanna. Savanna turned and almost fell over. Catherine extended her arms out

"Hello Savanna"

"Mom?" Savanna stared shocked.

Regaining her composure she hugged Catherine.

As if still talking to a young child Catherine comforted the Captain "It's all right dear, but there is very little time left." Looking at John, "We need to go they are waiting…it is time"

"Time for what, you are really starting to piss me off." John glared.

Catherine slightly annoyed by his irritation let go of her daughter and said "We are heading back there is nothing more we can do here."

John smoldered at her, "When were you going to tell me? I have been out of contact with you for about a week, damn near died three times."

Catherine corrected him, "Twice, don't over play the H/K incident"

"Besides I just did"

Derek looked at Savanna as if she had just slapped him. "We need to attack what?"

"The manufacturing complex in Fresno." Savanna repeated.

"No, No, No we have tried that, it didn't work."

Savanna corrected, "You tried it, we did not and also I have some very reliable Intel."

"Which says what come on in and get your head blown off?" Derek scoffed at her.

Kyle looked over the notes, "this could work Derek, if they are right, patrol routes, unit strength, turret positions, blueprints, weak points. With enough man power and the right plan we could take this complex out with minimal casualties."

Derek groaned rolling the idea in his head for a few minutes, "How long will it take your men to get there Savanna?"

She smiled, "They are already on their way."

Without warning a very tired Allison Young stormed into the room

"Where the hell have you been?" Derek looked concerned.

"I was…" was all she could get out before fainting.

John followed Weaver up the ridge

"We are here" Weaver plainly said stopping at a ledge of a cliff overlooking a large complex. It was bustling, machines moving everywhere.

"Yes we are….here, now are you going to tell me where Cameron and John Henry ar….?"

From behind an out cropping Cameron walked forward smiling with John Henry behind her.

"Cam" John Connor stared as if it were a mirage. He stepped toward her almost drunk with longing. She hurried up to him and they held each other in a firm embrace. He was crying slightly as he touched her face with his hands as if he were a blind man.

His touches were send shocks throughout her body. She never felt so alive. She had learned so much since being joined with John Henry, but this was new and exciting. Her eyes were lightly glowing blue as she leaned in again hovering close to his face. Both were astounded at the sheer intensity of their reactions especially Cameron. John's hair was standing on end were she was touching his arms while she was having trouble even understanding what her chip was telling her with all of the signals. All she knew was she felt like she was back where she needed to be. Even with the programming commands gone she still considered John here existence. He was all she needed to be complete.

"I am so sorry for…I…forgive me…," John stuttered not knowing what to say. Just shook her head

Cameron could not understand how she could be crying and smiling but she was. She felt the pain and happiness well inside of her, but did not understand it. With pain spilling from her newly tear strewn face she whispered back "I am sorry John; I will never leave you again."

"Promise" John said regaining some semblance of himself and feeling horrible for causing such a strong reaction.

"Promise" Cameron huskily answered back still lingering centimeters from his face. They stared eye to eye for a moment.

"John, we have to go" Weaver said breaking them from their trance.

"Why does everyone say that before I can get any" John murmured to himself quietly not realizing he even said it out loud. Everyone heard him under his breath. Cameron gave it away that she heard by producing a coy smile. She liked the idea that he wanted her. It caused her to have very strong positive sensations which she was having trouble explaining.

Breaking into a run the four headed towards the structures below.

The battle for Fresno was beginning.